Method for treating, in transit, hydrocarbon gases containing carbon dioxide and potential atmospheric pollutants

Abstract

The invention is a method for transporting and for treating during transport a gas containing potential atmospheric pollutants, including carbon dioxide making use of the extensive heat exchange area so provided, to obtain either a clean-burning fuel gas or a residual gas that can be discharged into the atmosphere without danger of significant atmospheric pollution. A cross-country pipeline is structurally modified or initially constructed to circulate coolant fluid along circumferential positions thereof, preferably by externally jacketing such portions and circulating coolant fluid therethrough, and to provide a gravity settlement chamber therein for carbon dioxide snow and particulate matter and a mechanical arrangement, such as a ram, for pushing any previously precipitated matter into such chamber. At least some of the coolant fluid is of low temperature type, particularly the carbon dioxide, and is circulated through a refrigerating compressor so as to change the state of various of the atmospheric pollutants contained by the gas to the liquid or solid phase, and provision is made (e.g. by the gravity settlement chamber) for separating liquid and solid products from the residual gas.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.